BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Senator Isadore Hall, III
Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 501 Hearing Date: 6/28/2016
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|Author: |Levine |
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|Version: |6/21/2016 Amended |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |No |
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|Consultant:|Arthur Terzakis |
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SUBJECT: State fabric
DIGEST: This bill designates "denim" as the official state
fabric.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law designates the following as official state
insignia:
State Flower - "Golden Poppy" (Added by Stats.1903, c.
69)
State Bird - "California Valley Quail" (Added by
Stats.1931, c. 777)
State Tree - "California Redwood" includes both the
coast redwood (Sequoia empervirens) and the Sierra big tree
(Sequoia gigantea) - (Added by Stats.1943, c. 134; Amended
by Stats.1953, c. 1140)
State Theatre - "Pasadena Playhouse" (Added by
Stats.1937, Res. Chapter 45)
State Fish - "California Golden Trout" (Added by
Stats.1947, Res. Chapter 90)
State Song - "I Love You California" (Added by
Stats.1951, Res. Chapter 87)
State Animal - "California Grizzly" (Added by
Stats.1953, c. 1140)
State Motto - "Eureka" (Added by Stats.1963, c. 1237)
AB 501 (Levine) Page 2 of ?
State Rock - "Serpentine" (Added by Stats.1965, c. 89)
State Mineral - "Native Gold" (Added by Stats.1965, c.
89)
State Nickname - "Golden State" (Added by Stats.1968, c.
66)
State Reptile - "Desert Tortoise" (Added by Stats.1972,
c. 683)
State Insect - "California Dogface Butterfly" (Added by
Stats.1972, c. 521)
State Fossil - "Sabre-Tooth Cat" (Added by Stats.1973,
c. 792)
State Historical Society - "California Historical
Society" (Added by Stats.1979, c. 52)
State Marine Mammal - "California Gray Whale" (Added by
Stats.1975, c. 328)
State Gemstone - "Benitoite" (Added by Stats.1985, c.
1365)
State Folk Dance - "Square Dance" (Added by Stats.1988,
c. 1645)
State Dance - "West Coast Swing" (Added by Stats.1988,
c. 1645)
State Prehistoric Artifact - "Chipped Stone Bear" (Added
by Stats.1991, c. 73)
State Marine Fish - "Garibaldi" (Added by Stats.1995, c.
948)
State Soil - "San Joaquin Soil" (Added by Stats.1997, c.
331)
State Fife and Drum Band - "California Consolidated Drum
Band" (Added by Stats.1997, c. 58)
State Tartan - "Based on the family tartan of the
revered John Muir" (blue and green with red, gold, and blue
seams) (Added by Stats.2001, c. 100)
State Gold Rush Ghost Town - "Town of Bodie" (Added by
Stats.2002, c. 365)
State Tall Ship - "Californian" (Added by Stats.2003, c.
113)
State Grass - "Nassella Pulchra" - commonly referred to
as "purple needlegrass" (Added by Stats. 2004, c. 243)
State Silver Rush Ghost Town - "Calico" (Added by
Stats.2005, c. 90)
Official Marine Reptile - "Pacific Leatherback Sea
Turtle" (Added by Stats.2012, c. 591)
State Amphibian - "California Red-Legged Frog" (Added by
Stats.2014, c. 77)
State Pet - "Shelter Pet" (Added by Stats. 2015, Res.
AB 501 (Levine) Page 3 of ?
Chapter 184)
State Lichen - "Lace Lichen" (Added by Stats. 2015, c.
113)
This bill designates denim as the official state fabric.
Background
Summary of Findings. Denim's history is interwoven with
California's history from the 1850s through today. Since the
17th century through the present day, denim has been used to
make upholstery, tents, blankets, wagon covers, and pants known
as jeans. With the news of the Gold Rush, Bavarian business
owner Levi Strauss moved to San Francisco to open a branch of
his family's dry goods store. In partnership with tailor Jacob
Davis, Levi Strauss eventually invented the first pair of denim
jeans in 1873.
Denim jeans were designed as practical working attire, but they
eventually became a symbol of not only California culture, but
also American culture. Through the decades, gold miners,
cowboys, farm workers, rock stars, beatniks, hippies, and people
of all walks of life wore denim jeans.
The first Hollywood silent films featured actors who wore jeans,
especially in westerns and war films. As the film industry
grew, famous actors such as John Wayne, Bing Crosby, Marlon
Brando, James Dean, and Marilyn Monroe, were photographed and
filmed wearing denim jeans.
Today, California is responsible for about 75% of the premium
denim jeans sold throughout the world. The industry employs
more than 200,000 people in Southern California alone, making it
the largest fashion manufacturing hub in the United States.
Denim jeans represent an estimated $60 billion global market for
retailers. Celebrities, U.S. Presidents, music artists, models,
business people, government officials, legislators, and
Californians of all ages wear denim - in fact, denim can be
found in the wardrobes of 96% of American consumers.
Several denim companies are now looking into the future and
making sustainability a core principle of their business model.
California's denim industry has also worked to shrink its carbon
and water footprints.
AB 501 (Levine) Page 4 of ?
According to a writer for American Fabrics magazine in 1969,
"Denim is one of the world's oldest fabrics, yet it remains
eternally young."
Purpose of AB 501. The author's office points out existing law
provides for several "official" state emblems that are well
known - the Great Seal of the State of California, the Bear Flag
and Golden Poppy. Additionally, the existing list of state
insignia goes further and includes among other things, the state
fish, the state insect, the state reptile, the state tartan, the
state grass, the state soil, the state folkdance, and the state
marine mammal. AB 501 recognizes denim as the official state
fabric of California. The author's office contends that denim
represents more than just a fabric - it represents California's
diversity, culture, and economic and technological development
since the Gold Rush.
Prior/Related Legislation
AB 1528 (Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife, Chapter 113,
Statutes of 2015) among other things, declared "Lace Lichen"
(Ramalina menziesii) the official State Lichen.
ACR 56 (Linder, Resolution Chapter184, Statutes of 2015)
declared a "shelter pet" as the official State Pet.
AB 2364 (V. Manuel Perez, Chapter 77, Statutes of 2014)
designated the "California Red-Legged Frog" (Rana draytonii) as
the official State Amphibian.
AB 1776 (Fong, Chapter 591, Statutes of 2012) designated the
Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle as the official marine reptile of
the State of California and established October 15 as Pacific
Leatherback Sea Turtle Conservation Day.
SB 906 (Ashburn, Chapter 90, Statutes of 2005) designated
"Calico" in San Bernardino County as the official State Silver
Rush Ghost Town.
SB 1226 (Machado, Chapter 243, Statutes of 2004) designated
"purple needlegrass," or Nassella Pulchra, as the official State
Grass.
AB 965 (Kehoe, Chapter 113, Statutes of 2003) established the
"Californian" as the official State Tall Ship.
AB 501 (Levine) Page 5 of ?
AB 1757 (Leslie, Chapter 365, Statutes of 2002) designated
"Bodie" as the official State Gold Rush Ghost Town.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.: No Local: No
SUPPORT:
California Cotton Ginners and Growers Associations
Gap Inc.
OPPOSITION:
None received